I've had some interest in this DVD since it was released several years ago, so I finally borrowed it from my library. It is a barre-style routine (i.e., lighter weights, higher reps, ballet-type movements) which I tend to like as an occasional alternate to traditional strength routines. It's led by veteran fitness instructor Kathy Smith. Smith, who was born in 1951, is in her EARLY 60s at the time she filmed this video--and she looks amazing! Definitely a testament to regular exercise.

Smith is featured here with two female background exercisers. She teaches barefoot and live, alternately doing the moves herself and walking around to assist the other two. The Main Menu of the DVD offers three options, Workouts, Customize, and More from Kathy Smith. There are five different workout segments listed on that menu, and the "Customize" option allows you to play them in any order--an nice feature. For each segment, there is the option to exercise with Smith's instruction or music only. I have broken down the workouts in detail below.

WARM-UP (5:11)
This simple flow segment features moves such as feet tapping forward, reach for the knees, knee lift, twists, knee circles, stretch and reach, side lunge with reach, and side bends. Smith finishes off with a low-back stretch.

UPPER BODY LIFT (12:49)
Smith starts in plank and then proceeds with four sets of push-ups, 10 reps each (not my favorite thing!). She concludes the floorwork with alternate arm/leg supermans and floor tricep dips. The standing segment uses light weights and has a strong emphasis on the shoulders. It includes both front and side delt raises with various tempos/pulses, bicep curls in an extended position, and straight arm triceps work. Smith uses a towel to assist with stretching at the end.

THIGH LIFT (13:31)
Smith uses both a chair and a towel for this segment. The towel is placed between the thighs (I used a squishy ball instead) and the chair is used for balance. The moves are a series of ballet-style exercises, almost all performed on toes and including parallel plies (ending with pulses and "spring ups"), v-stance plie (with dips and pelvic tilts), and wide plies with pulses and alternating heel lifts. To focus more on the hamstrings, Smith places the towel behind one knee for one-legged bent knee presses. The final sequence is a pelvic lift series performed with the heels of the feet on a chair. Smith again uses the towel for a reclined leg stretch, and she concludes in a seated wide leg stretch.

BUTT LIFT (12:25)
Here Smith again uses a chair, first for balance, then for bent over work. She begins with a single leg squat, adding a knee lift. The bent over work includes straight leg rear pulses, both back and out to the side. The next series includes bent leg rear lifts, finishing with a side push. Smith then does a short series of stretches from a lunge position (low lunge, twist, runner's stretch). She finishes lying on the floor for pelvic lifts and then seated for pretzel lifts.

TUMMY LIFT (12:44)
The moves in this section are a cross between barre abdominal work and Pilates. Smith starts by establishing a c-curve to the back for seated "scoop" work; several different sets are performed. She then moves onto the back with the legs in a tabletop for a move somewhat similar to the Pilates hundred plus taps, toe dips, bicycles, and leg lowers. She stretches with bridge, cobra, and a cat release, concluding with a side elbow plank with hip dips. The final stretches are a wide leg seated pose and seated spinal twist.

This is a generally nice DVD with a good variety of options; the segments are sufficiently difficult and can be made even more so by using higher weights. I would have preferred 10-minute segments (all here are 12-15 minutes) to use these more effectively as add-ons, but that's just me. Overall, I would recommend this DVD.

Instructor Comments:
I can take Kathy Smith in small doses, but she tends to be a bit over-enthusiastic for me. Although she doesn't "whoop" here, she does say some things that annoy me (like "you can do anything for 10 seconds" - umm, no, and I shouldn't have to). But she definitely is in amazing great shape for any age!

Beth C (aka toaster)